° 1918 Richmond, In Memoriam: Edgar A. Mearns. 7 



desolate, arid place, but to Mearns it represented a new world, 

 peopled with strange animals and plants, all worthy of the closest 

 study. Within sight of the fort were ancient cliff dwellings, silent 

 reminders of a vanished race; and San Francisco Mountain, then 

 practically unexplored, was also visible in the distance. He set 

 to work with his customary vigor, devoting all of his leisure time 

 to the formation of a splendid collection of the animals and plants 

 of this section of Arizona. The ruins in the neighborhood were also 

 examined in considerable detail, excavations were made, and 

 thousands of relics rescued from oblivion. He wrote a delightful 

 and extremely interesting account of these explorations, under the 

 title ' Ancient Dwellings of the Rio Verde Valley,' which appeared 

 in 'Popular Science Monthly,' for October, 1890. 



During the nearly four years he was stationed at this Arizona 

 post, he was attached to various expeditions, some of them peaceful 

 ones, others sent in pursuit of renegade Indians. In the letter to 

 Mr. Donald, quoted above, he wrote: "We reached Fort Verde 

 on March 25th, 1884, and, by a curious coincidence I am just in 

 receipt of orders to leave on that day this year as surgeon in charge 

 of the two cavalry regiments that are about to exchange stations 

 between this department and Texas. I will have two acting Ass't 

 Surgeons with me, which will make my duties light, and on the 900 

 miles of horseback riding that I will have, there will be much lei- 

 sure and opportunity for zoological and botanical work. I was given 

 the first choice to go on this expedition, and gladly accepted for 

 the sake of the information winch I expect to acquire of the fauna 

 and flora of the southern part of Arizona and New Mexico. The 

 medical director is personally friendly towards me and General 

 Crook who commands the Department is particularly interested 

 in my pursuits, and has chosen me to accompany him on two long 

 expeditions through the wildest and least known portions of 

 Arizona. On each of these trips an entire month was spent in the 

 saddle, and a large collection of several hundred specimens of 

 vertebrate animals was made, which were transported together 

 with the rest of our plunder upon pack mules in panniers." The 

 contemplated trip was duly performed, and a long account of it 

 was recorded in one of his manuscript journals. 



Dr. Mearns was popular with his brother officers, who marvelled 



